Undergarment



(No Medel.)

UNDERGrARlMIENT.`

WITNESS/58:

I 1a|.tented June 116, 1896.

A I. E vm Arron/'m2 AN DREW BARAHAM PMOTCLTTHWASNINGTOWD C UNiTnn STATESPATENT `OniacinA DANIEL I. DEVOE, OF FORT PLAIN, NEW YORK.

UNDERGARM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,287, dated J' une16, 1896.

Application led April 3, 1896. Serial No. 586,098. (No model.)

To all whom. t ntay concern..-

Be it known that I, DANIEL I. Davon, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing .at Fort Plain, in the county of Montgomery and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Garments, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention pertains to nether garments and especiallyto knitundergarments forwomen and children. The novelty lies in the form orconstruction rather than in the fabric itself, andthe general object ofthe invention is to produce garments that combine pro-l tection, comfortand convenience in certain ways that will be obvious when thepeculiarities of the garments have beenexplained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows t-he back of a union orcombination suit involving the invention, certain parts being cut awayto show the construction more clearly. Fig. 2 illustrates an additionalfeature.

The back of the garment is provided with a fall or flap A,whose uppermargin normally lies a little below the belt or waist line, and Whoselateral margins A lie approximately in the position of the usualouter-seam line of seamed garments of this general class. The upper sideof the fall is detachably secured by buttons X or other suitabledevices, and below the fall is continuous with the lower portion of thegarment. Were no other devices provided, the fall would formv the onlyclosure for an opening of approximately its own size, and at the sidesor plackets, the closure would ordinarily be very imperfect. To lessenthe size of this opening and to obtain, practically, a more perfectclosure without sacricing convenience, I have heretofore knit the backof the garment down so far as was practicable beneath the fall and havemade the lateral margins of this extra portion continuous with' the bodyof the garment; but since the extra portion thus added will not liesmooth but in use forms folds, particularly near the middle and justbelow the upper margin of the fall, this device is vexatious and oflittle value.

In accordance with this invention, in the upper corners, respectively,of the opening left by the fall, I set two triangular pieces B B, eachhaving its upper and outer margins permanently secured at all points tothe body of the garment in such manner that the pieces form acontinuation of the latter. The size of each triangular piece is suchthat its upper margin reaches more than half-way across the back of thegarment, and its outer lateral margin extends down to some distancebelow the lowest part of the closed fall to a point approximately inline with the outer margin of the latter. The third margin B of thepiece runs then from a point well down below the side of the fallobliquely upward across the opening to a point upon the opposite half ofthe garment near the belt-line. The two pieces thus overlap each otherbut the overlapping surfaces are no t united. The triangular pieces areso cut or so knit that the wales ofthe goods are parallel to thisoblique free margin B', in order that there may be no material permanentstretching. When the two .pieces are thus symmetrically inserted, it isevident that the original opening has been permanently closed except inthe lower central part, and that the plackets are at all points far fromthis remaining opening, and hence it is not material whether they beclosed or not. If, accidentally or otherwise, the sides B of the piecesbe pushed aside, they are again drawn straight and smooth and kept so bythe natural movements of the wearer, because the lower point ofattachment is far below the hip-joint.

In forming the pieces B, the angle opposite the side B may be varied togive the side B a little fullness, if desired. The margin B may beprovided with an elastic tape D, Fig. 2, to offer additional resistanceto permanent extension, and this tape may extend along all or a portionof this edge. The garment formed as set forth may be worn with a corsetwithout inconvenience, for the fall may be secured to the exterior ofthe corset so that its fastenings may be readily accessible.

Although I have thus far used this construction principally with knitcombinationsuits, it is evident that it may be used with nether garmentsdistinct from coverings for the upper portion of the body.

What I claim isl. A garment of the class described provided with a fallextending across the back and having beneath or within the fall two tri-IOO angular pieces, each with its outer side in approximately theouter-seam line of the garment and extending below the lowest point ofthe fall, and with its upper side extending transversely from said seambeyond the middle point of the back, whereby the upper portions of thetwo pieces overlap, both said sides being united throughout to the bodyof the garment, while the third longer side is ro left free.

2. A garment of the class described provided with a fall extendingacross the back and havin gbeneath the fall two similar pieces inoutline approximating a right triangle, each having one shorter sideunited with the body of the garment along an outer-seam line andextending below the lower limit of the falls margin, and having theSecond shorter side united with the body of the garment and extendingfrom said seam-line along the upper margin of the fall to a point beyondthe middle of the back, the longer free margins of said pieces beingprovided with elastic tapes arranged to yieldingly resist theirextension.

DANIEL I. DEVOE. Vitnesses CHAs. G. ZIELLEY, B. FRANK MILLER.

